THE  ART  OF 
SALESMANSHIP 


By  HERBERT  F.  DEBOWER 

Vice-President  of  the  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 


One  of  a Series  of  Lectures  Especially  Prepared 
for  the  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 


ALEXANDER  HAMILTON  INSTITUTE 
ASTOR  PLACE,  NEW  YORK  CITY,  U.  S.  A. 


Copyright,  1911,  by  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 
Copyright,  1913,  by  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute 


HERBERT  F.  DEBOWER 


^oMv  l % 


HERBERT  F.  DEBOWER. 

Mr.  DeBower  is  Vice-President  of  the 
Alexander  Hamilton  Institute,  in  charge  of  all 
selling  activities.  His  business  life  has  been 
devoted  almost  wholly  to  study  of  selling  meth- 
ods and  problems,  and  he  is  therefore  particu- 
larly qualified  to  handle  the  important  subject 
of  “ The  Art  of  Salesmanship.”  This  Lecture 
is  based  upon  an  address  to  the  students  of  the 
School  of  Commerce,  Accounts  and  Finance 
of  New  York  University. 

Mr.  DeBower  was  born  March  11,  1874, 
on  a farm  in  the  town  of  Vienna,  Dane  County, 
Wisconsin.  His  parents  were  among  the 
earliest  pioneer  settlers  in  that  section  of  the 
State.  His  boyhood  was  spent  on  his  parents’ 
farm,  and  there  he  built  up  the  sturdy  physique 
and  sound  health,  which  he  has  since  enjoyed. 

His  early  education  was  obtained  in  the 
country  public  school  near  his  home,  and  in  the 
High  School  of  Lodi,  Wisconsin.  From  the 
High  School  he  went  to  the  University  of  Wis- 
consin at  Madison,  where  he  took  the  law 
course  and  graduated  with  the  degree  of  LL.B. 
in  1 896.  Mr.  DeBower’s  chief  interest  at 
the  University,  apart  from  his  studies,  was  in 
debating,  and  in  his  senior  year  he  won  a place 
as  one  of  the  Law  School  joint  debaters.  He 
was  also  one  of  the  few  men  in  the  University 


selected  to  stump  the  State  in  the  political  cam- 
paign of  1 896. 

After  graduation  Mr.  DeBower,  as  he  has 
himself  expressed  it,  “ indulged  in  the  luxury 
of  practising  law.”  He  met  with  the  same  diffi- 
culties as  most  young  lawyers,  and  after  two 
years  determined  to  drop  the  law  for  the  time 
being  and  enter  business.  It  was  a decision 
which  he  has  never  had  occasion  to  regret. 

Even  during  his  school  and  university  days 
Mr.  DeBower  was  engaged  in  selling,  begin- 
ning with  the  low-priced  specialties  which  stu- 
dent salesmen  usually  handle,  and  gradually  ad- 
vancing to  more  difficult  propositions.  During 
the  three  years  1898-1901  he  represented  a 
well-known  firm  of  law  book  publishers  and 
sold  one  of  the  standard  encyclopaedias  of  law. 
In  this  hard  school  he  learned  thoroughly  the 
essentials  of  salesmanship,  which  he  sets  forth  in 
this  Lecture.  From  1901  to  1904  he  was  en- 
gaged as  sales  manager,  and  later  as  one  of  the 
corporate  officers  of  a general  publishing  con- 
cern. This  position,  however,  did  not  satisfy 
him,  and  in  1 904  he  organized  the  DeBower- 
Elliott  Company  of  Chicago,  of  which  he  has 
since  been  President.  The  company  has 
grown  from  a comparatively  small  beginning 
until  it  has  become  a large  and  well-established 
publishing  concern.  In  1911  he  gave  up  the 
active  management  of  the  DeBower-Elliott 
Company  in  order  to  accept  the  Vice-Presi- 
dency of  the  Alexander  Hamilton  Institute. 


The  Art  of  Salesmanship 

By  Herbert  F.  DeBower 

To  sell,  as  defined  by  the  Standard  dictionary, 
is  “to  transfer  property  to  another  or  contract  to 
do  so  for  a valuable  consideration,  especially 
money.’ ’ As  generally  understood  in  the  com- 
mercial world,  however,  the  transaction  should 
represent  a financial  profit  to  the  seller.  It  is 
usually  an  easy  matter  to  give  away  goods  or  to 
sell  “below  cost.”  The  market  value  of  a com- 
modity is  its  production  cost,  plus  the  marketing 
expense,  plus  a fair  margin  of  profit.  Selling  as  a 
legitimate  phase  of  commerce  is  getting  the  market 
value  for  a commodity. 

Factors  in  Every  Sale 

The  three  factors  in  every  sale  are,  the  com- 
modity, the  seller  and  the  buyer.  The  commodity 
must  be  designed  to  serve  some  purpose,  useful, 
decorative  or  entertaining,  and  it  must  have  in- 
trinsic value.  The  seller  must  create  a demand  for 
his  commodity,  price  it  within  the  reach  of  those  to 
whom  it  appeals,  and  that  price  must  admit  of  a 
fair  profit  on  the  transaction.  The  buyer  must  be 
convinced  of  his  need  for  the  commodity  for  in- 
dividual use,  for  gift  or  for  re-sale,  he  must  be 
satisfied  that  the  price  is  reasonable  and  he  must  be 
able  to  pay  on  the  terms  prescribed  by  the  seller. 


i 


Four  Steps  in  a Sale 

The  four  acknowledged  steps  in  the  consum- 
mation of  any  sale  are,  attention,  interest,  desire 
and  close.  The  simplest  form,  from  the  stand- 
point of  the  person  who  actually  effects  the  sale, 
is  that  which  relieves  him  of  getting  attention, 
arousing  interest  and  creating  desire.  Persons 
occupying  such  positions  are  usually  not  considered 
salesmen.  An  illustration  of  this  form  of  selling 
is  that  of  a clerk  back  of  a counter  who  supplies 
the  mere  request  of  a customer.  The  next  form  is 
where  only  attention  has  been  secured  and  interest 
aroused.  An  illustration  of  this  form  is  where  you 
walk  into  a store  and  are  attracted  by  the  appear- 
ance of  some  commodity,  and  a clerk  creates  desire 
and  closes  the  sale.  The  next  and  more  intricate 
form  is  where  only  attention  has  previously  been 
secured.  An  illustration  of  this  is  where  a sales- 
man follows  up  his  regular  trade.  As  soon  as  he 
branches  out  and  begins  building  up  new  trade  he 
is  taking  all  four  steps  and  practicing  the  most 
intricate  form  of  salesmanship. 

Two  Divisions  of  Selling 

Selling  may  be  divided  into  two  divisions,  first, 
where  the  buyer  seeks  the  seller,  and  second, 
where  the  seller  seeks  the  buyer.  In  the  first  in- 
stance the  seller  is  required  to  take  only  one  or,  at 
most,  two  of  the  steps  in  salesmanship.  In  the 
second  instance  the  seller  usually  takes  all  four 
steps,  with  such  assistance  as  may  have  been 
previously  extended  in  attracting  attention  to, 
and  possibly  arousing  interest  in,  the  commodity. 


2 


This  may  be  designated  as  the  difference  between 
an  order  taker  and  a salesman.  The  former  merely 
fills  an  existing  want  while  the  latter  creates  a new 
want  and  fills  it  by  taking  the  order. 

Creative  Selling 

The  rapid  and  varied  production  of  marketable 
materials  with  the  ensuing  competition  has  forced 

■■  creative  selling  to  the  front.  The  “bargain 

• counter”  method  of  sale  has  gradually  given  way 
to  the  sale  based  upon  merit,  value  and  special 

••  features.  Even  the  producers  of  what  are  known 

* as  staple  lines  are  adding  distinctive  features  to 
put  their  commodities  in  the  class  of  specialties. 

•;  For  instance,  crackers  were  once  sold  by  the  barrel ; 
now  they  are  sold  in  sealed  packages.  The  method 
of  sealing  the  package  is  a distinctive  feature, 
adding  value  to  the  commodity.  A suit  of  clothes 
was  formerly  sold  as  a mere  suit  of  clothes ; now  it 
is  sold  as  a suit  plus  the  mark  of  the  maker — a dis- 
tinguishing feature  adding  value  to  the  commodity. 

Advertising,  the  handmaiden  of  salesmanship,  is 
resorted  to  largely  to  promote  the  sale  of  specialties. 
Newspaper  and  magazine  advertising  consists 
principally  in  exploiting  commodities  that  come 
within  that  class.  While  some  of  it  aims  at  direct 
sales,  most  of  it  is  merely  for  the  purpose  of  helping 
the  salesman  to  take  later  the  four  steps  just 
mentioned  with  the  prospective  buyer.  Direct 
circularizing  is  also  resorted  to,  to  accomplish  the 
same  purpose. 

There  was  a time  when  the  saying,  “Salesmen 
are  bom,  not  made,”  was  taken  seriously.  At  the 


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present  time  this  expresses  only  about  one-half  the 
truth.  Those  responsible  for  the  production  of 
commodities  found  personal  solicitation  the  most 
important  and  potent  factor  in  solving  the  problem 
of  distribution  and,  since  there  were  not  enough 
men  born  to  the  calling,  it  became  necessary  to 
create  salesmen.  In  the  process  of  creation  a 
science  was  developed,  and  in  the  application  of 
that  science  we  have  the  “Art  of  Salesmanship.” 

Salesmanship  as  a Calling 

The  practice  of  the  calling  offers  many  advan- 
tages that  are  not  to  be  found  in  other  occupations. 
Of  these  advantages  perhaps  the  most  important  is 
that  of  remuneration.  It  is  an  unchallenged  fact 
that  no  line  of  commercial  activity  offers  a more 
inviting  field  for  acquiring  a competence  than  that 
of  salesmanship.  A capital  of  $100,000.00,  in- 
vested in  business  or  drawing  5 % interest,  is  less 
remunerative  than  the  earning  capacity  of  a capa- 
ble salesman.  In  addition  to  this,  comparatively 
little  preparatory  effort  is  necessary  to  make  a 
start,  no  financial  capital  is  required,  the  vocation 
is  pleasant  and  healthful,  and  it  usually  satisfies 
to  a certain  extent  the  “wanderlust”  that  is  bred 
in  the  bone. 

The  future  possibilities  of  the  profession  are 
equally  alluring.  It  not  only  affords  the  largest 
immediate  financial  returns,  but  it  is  the  surest  and 
quickest  way  to  reach  important  executive  posi- 
tions. Many  men  who  now  rank  as  the  heads  of 
gigantic  business  enterprises  reached  those  posi- 
tions through  the  selling  end  of  the  business. 


4 


There  is  no  work  better  adapted  to  give  a man 
knowledge  of  human  nature,  self-reliance  and 
instant  control  over  all  his  faculties.  Thousands 
of  men  of  ability,  high  character  and  standing  are 
enlisted  in  the  service. 

But  the  demand  for  men  who  can  sell  is  in- 
sistent and  constant.  There  has  never  been  an 
over-supply.  Note  the  column  after  column  of 
“Salesmen  Wanted”  in  the  classified  sections  of 
the  newspapers  and  magazines.  Only  occasion- 
ally do  you  see  in  “Situations  Wanted”  the  ad- 
vertisement of  a high  grade  salesman  seeking  a 
position.  And  why  is  it,  with  such  advantages 
and  possibilities,  we  do  not  have  an  over-supply? 
The  answer  is,  that  comparatively  few  of  the  large 
number  who  would  like  to  follow  the  calling  can 
measure  up  to  the  requirements.  A salesman  who 
can  produce  business  in  paying  quantities  is  an 
asset.  A salesman  who  cannot  is  a liability.  No 
firm  will  knowingly  take  on  or  continue  a liability. 

Natural  Qualifications 

The  essential  qualifications  of  successful  sales- 
manship may  be  logically  divided  into  two  classes : 
natural  and  acquired.  I should  name  the  natural 
qualifications  as,  native  ability,  good  health,  pleas- 
ing personality,  honesty,  ambition  and  courage. 
While  it  may  be  said  that  these  qualities  are  largely 
inherent,  it  is  nevertheless  true  that  they  are 
subject  to  development  and  may  even  be  attained, 
in  a measure  at  least,  through  training,  determined 
effort  and  experience. 

Native  ability  is  an  inherent  quality  which 

5 


makes  one  man  naturally  smart,  another  naturally 
dull,  one  man  quick-witted,  and  another  slow- 
witted  or  with  no  wit  at  all.  It  includes  aptitude 
— the  faculty  to  ‘ ‘ catch  on.  ’ ’ It  includes  initiative 
— the  ability  to  originate,  to  plan,  to  get  ahead.  It 
includes  adaptability — the  power  to  fit  oneself  into 
changing  environments  and  conditions.  It  in- 
cludes tact,  that  wonderful  quality  belonging  to  the 
sixth  sense,  the  ready  power  of  instantly  ap- 
preciating and  doing  what  is  required  by  circum- 
stances. These  are  some  of  the  things  that  go  to 
make  up  native  ability.  It  may  be  very  greatly 
developed  through  training,  study  and  associations. 

Prime  Condition 

A salesman  more  than  almost  anyone  else  re- 
quires a good  strong  healthy  mind  and  body.  He 
cannot  expect  to  influence  strong  and  healthy 
people  unless  he  himself  is  in  prime  condition  both 
mentally  and  physically.  Moreover,  his  arduous 
duties  require  a large  daily  supply  of  strength  and 
vitality.  Once  blessed  with  health  one  can  do 
much  to  retain  it  or  even  to  improve  health. 
Sheldon  says,  “ If  we  think  right,  eat  right,  breathe 
right  and  live  right,  we  will  be  all  right  physically .’  ’ 
Eating,  drinking  and  carousing  with  customers  was 
once  part  of  a salesman’s  duties.  It  is  now  gener- 
ally conceded  that  more  can  be  accomplished  by  an 
appeal  to  the  intellect  than  by  an  appeal  to  the 
stomach.  The  vocation,  however,  offers  many 
temptations  which,  if  indulged  in,  undermine 
health,  and  a salesman’s  continued  success  depends 
upon  his  power  to  resist  such  temptations. 


6 


Personality 

A pleasing  personality  is  that  indefinable  some- 
thing that  makes  the  presence  of  one  person 
welcome  and  the  presence  of  another  person 
unwelcome.  It  is  that  quality  which  characterizes 
and  distinguishes  one  person  from  another,  not 
by  his  stature,  nor  by  the  way  his  features  are 
molded,  but  by  his  expression,  actions  and  man- 
ner. Without  this  qualification,  the  salesman  can 
make  but  little  progress,  with  it  he  can  accomplish 
wonders.  A salesman  should  give  careful  atten- 
tion to  his  personal  appearance,  such  as  care  of 
the  teeth,  a hair  cut,  shave,  polish,  clean  linen  and 
neat  apparel.  These,  together  with  a frank  open 
countenance,  clear  eyes,  clean  thoughts  and  good 
manners,  go  a long  way  in  the  development  of  a 
pleasing  personality. 

Ambition 

Ambition  is  a prime  requisite  of  salesmanship. 
Emerson  might  well  have  had  in  mind  a class  of 
prospective  salesmen  when  he  said,  “Hitch  your 
wagon  to  a star.  ” It  means  aim  high . The  reason 
some  men  achieve  so  little  is  because  they  attempt 
so  little.  The  more  one  accomplishes,  the  more 
one  becomes  capable  of  accomplishing.  A success- 
ful salesman  should  be  imbued  with  a steadfast 
purpose  to  achieve  something  worth  while.  The 
spur  of  ambition  should  continually  urge  him  for- 
ward. If  he  is  filled  with  contentment,  indifference 
and  indolence,  he  will  be  a dismal  failure.  This 
quality,  while  inherent,  may  also  be  developed  and 
even,  in  a measure,  acquired  through  determina- 
tion and  will. 


7 


Honesty 

As  a business  proposition,  it  pays  to  be  honest 
— with  oneself,  with  one’s  firm  and  with  one’s 
customer.  In  that  way  only  will  the  salesman  be 
able  to  retain  his  self-respect,  the  confidence  and 
esteem  of  the  firm  he  represents  and  of  the 
people  with  whom  he  deals.  There  are  salesmen 
who  are  known  as  '‘one  trippers.”  They  are  the 
men  who  are  not  entirely  honest  in  some  particular. 
They  make  one  trip  through  a certain  territory  and 
are  not  able  to  go  back.  Then  there  are  other  sales- 
men who  are  known  as  “repeaters.”  They  are  the 
men  who  can  go  over  their  territory  again  and 
again  and  on  each  trip  gather  an  increasing 
host  of  friends  for  themselves  and  their  firm. 


Courage 

It  takes  courage  to  be  honest  under  all  circum- 
stances, to  relentlessly  apply  the  spur  of  ambition, 
to  learn  to  look  the  tenth  man  in  the  face  with  a 
smile  after  having  failed  to  secure  an  order  from 
any  of  the  preceding  nine,  to  refrain  from  over- 
indulgence  that  means  a break-down  in  health,  to 
refuse  to  let  the  mentality  slumber  during  waking 
hours.  It  is  an  important  qualification.  Courage 
in  this  connection  is  synonymous  with  a deter- 
mined will — a will  akin  to  audacity,  that  is  fearless 
almost  to  the  verge  of  recklessness,  that  will  not 
yield  to  seemingly  insurmountable  difficulties.  Dr. 
Gunsaulus  says,  “Success  in  any  undertaking  is 
never  gained  until  it  has  many  times  been  picked 
up  for  dead  on  life’s  battle  field.  Every  grey  hair 
in  the  head  of  age  represents  a sigh ; every  law  on 


8 


our  statute  books  represents  midnight  candles 
burned  low ; every  painting  drawn  upon  canvas  is 
an  intimation  of  the  toil  and  heart  throbs  of  the 
artist;  and  every  stream  that  goes  singing  to  the 
sea  tells  a story  of  the  rocks  over  which  it  passed/' 

Acquired  Qualifications 

The  natural  qualifications  disbar  some  from  the 
practice  of  the  profession.  Measuring  men  from 
the  standpoint  of  acquired  qualifications — those 
which  almost  every  normal  man  is  capable  of  at- 
taining— the  real  process  of  development  begins. 
I should  name  the  essential  acquired  qualifications 
as,  concentration,  confidence,  enthusiasm,  earnest- 
ness, industry,  preparation,  observation  and  self- 
analysis. 

Singleness  of  purpose  is  a distinguishing  char- 
acteristic of  success.  Most  propositions  are  big 
enough  and  of  sufficient  importance  to  justify  a 
salesman's  entire  time  and  attention,  and  only  by 
freely  giving  both  can  he  reach  the  highest  degree 
of  efficiency.  Many  men  could  reach  at  least  a 
fair  measure  of  success,  if  they  would  develop  the 
power  of  continuous  concentration.  Because  they 
do  not  develop  that  power,  they  continue  to  sell 
their  services  for  just  enough  to  eke  out  an  exist- 
ence. On  this  subject  the  late  David  Graham 
Phillips,  a close  student  of  human  nature,  said, 
“Most  of  us  cannot  concentrate  at  all;  any  slight 
distraction  suffices  to  disrupt  and  destroy  the  whole 
train  of  thought.  A good  many  can  concentrate 
for  a few  hours,  for  a week  or  so,  for  two  or  three 
months.  But  there  comes  a small  achievement 
and  it  satisfies,  or  a small  discouragement  and  it 


9 


disheartens.  Only  to  the  rare  few  is  given  the 
power  to  concentrate  steadily,  year  in  and  year 
out,  through  good  and  evil  event  or  report.” 

Confidence  Three  Ways 

A salesman  should  have  confidence  three  ways, 
in  himself,  in  his  firm  and  in  his  proposition. 
Before  a sale  can  be  made  the  prospective  buyer 
must  be  imbued  with  confidence  in  the  salesman, 
in  the  firm  and  in  the  proposition.  To  inspire  that 
confidence  in  others,  the  salesman  must  first 
possess  it  himself.  Success,  therefore,  is  in  pro- 
portion to  the  salesman’s  estimate  of  his  own 
ability,  his  belief  in  the  firm  he  represents,  and  his 
faith  in  the  proposition.  Careful  distinction  should 
be  made  between  confidence  and  conceit.  Conceit 
is  rooted  in  ignorance  and  a misapprehension  of  the 
facts.  It  believes  it  can,  but  it  really  cannot.  Con- 
fidence is  intelligent  faith  based  on  facts.  It  be- 
lieves it  can  and  the  results  demonstrate  the  truth 
of  that  belief. 


Enthusiasm 

Enthusiasm  is  the  life  of  the  interview.  The 
prospective  buyer  must  have  it  in  some  degree, 
either  expressed  or  suppressed,  or  there  will  be  no 
sale.  This  enthusiasm  on  the  buyer’s  part  will  not 
come  of  its  own  accord,  but  is  merely  the  reflection 
of  the  salesman’s  enthusiasm.  The  salesman  ac- 
quires it  as  the  natural  result  of  a thorough  knowl- 
edge of,  and  a belief  in,  the  merits  and  value  of  the 
commodity.  He  must  adapt  himself  to  his  work 
and  learn  to  like  it.  He  must  be  in  love  with  it. 


io 


Congenial  work  is  merely  pleasure.  Work  that  is 
not  congenial  is  drudgery,  and  in  performing 
drudgery  there  can  be  no  enthusiasm. 

Earnestness 

Earnestness  is  a quality  closely  akin  to  that  of 
enthusiasm.  It  means  to  be  zealous,  to  be  deter- 
mined, ardent  in  spirit  and  speech.  The  word 
embodies  a large  element  of  success  in  any  line  of 
human  endeavor.  John  D.  Rockefeller  says,  “If 
you  are  in  earnest  to  the  innermost  fibre  of  your 
body,  there  is  no  power  that  can  hold  you  back 
from  the  object  you  strive  to  attain.”  No  man 
has  ever  achieved  success,  which  is  traceable  to  his 
own  endeavors,  who  has  not  been  the  embodiment 
of  that  word.  Earnestness  should  not  be  con- 
founded with  seriousness.  A man  may  smile  and 
still  be  earnest.  It  is  this  quality  that  gives  to 
everything  you  say  a convincing  ring. 

Application 

The  main  difference  between  success  and  failure 
is  found  in  the  degree  of  application.  A man  with 
fair  intelligence  and  great  energy  is  much  more 
likely  to  succeed  than  a man  with  greater  intelli- 
gence and  little  energy.  There  is,  perhaps,  no 
profession  in  the  world  where  this  is  more  apparent 
than  in  salesmanship.  Therefore,  an  important 
requisite  in  selling  goods  is  capacity  and  willing- 
ness for  hard  work.  It  takes  genius  to  sell  any- 
thing, and  genius  is  now  defined  as  2%  inspiration 
and  98%  perspiration.  One  of  the  principal 
causes  of  failure  is  the  fact  that  some  salesmen  who 


11 


possess  the  natural  qualifications  to  a marked 
degree  have  succeeded  by  working  short  hours. 
In  the  minds  of  the  unknowing  this  has  created  the 
impression  that  a selling  position  is  a sinecure, 
comparing  favorably  with  the  position  of  a bank 
president  whose  hours  are  supposed  to  be  from  ten 
to  three.  Salesmen  should  believe,  and  have  the 
good  sense  to  appreciate,  that  success  must  not  be 
expected  except  as  a return  for  value  expended  in 
the  way  of  time  and  effort.  It  is  easy  to  find  excuses 
for  not  working,  and  since  the  salesman  is  to  a large 
extent  his  own  master,  it  requires  determination 
and  will  power  to  resist  the  temptation  to  be  idle. 

Preparedness 

Albert  J.  Beveridge  who  was  once  a salesman, 
says,  “Preparedness  is  the  secret  of  most  successes 
in  this  world;  fate  seldom  makes  league  with  the 
unequipped.’ ’ To  succeed  in  selling  anything,  the 
salesman  must  first  master  the  details  of  his  propo- 
sition. He  must  have  his  selling  points  marshalled 
and  under  full  control,  and  he  must  be  prepared  to 
answer  any  questions  or  objections  that  may  arise. 
The  fact  that  a salesman  may  start  with  a little 
preparation  does  not  mean  that  his  study  ceases 
when  he  begins  work,  any  more  than  one  would 
expect  a lawyer  to  stop  reading  law  when  he  started 
practice.  Knowledge  of  goods  and  selling  points 
does  not  come  by  intuition  or  inspiration.  It 
comes  by  study  and  application. 

Observation 

A salesman  should  acquire  the  power  of  observa- 
tion. This  is  the  faculty  that  enables  him  to  read 


12 


the  signals  that  are  flashed  at  him  in  various  ways. 
He  must  make  a quick  mental  note  of  the  surround- 
ings, the  appearance  and  the  condition  in  which  he 
finds  the  prospect  to  determine  whether  the  cir- 
cumstances are  auspicious  for  a favorable  approach. 
He  should  note  the  tone  of  the  voice,  expression  of 
the  eye,  and  the  general  bearing,  as  these  things 
indicate  to  him  what  should  be  his  method  of  pro- 
cedure. He  must  be  quick  to  observe  and  take 
advantage  of  the  all  important  psychological  mo- 
ment when  the  prospective  buyer  has  reached  a 
favorable  decision.  A sale  is  frequently  directly 
traceable  to  the  fact  that  an  observing  salesman 
discovered  some  hobby  of  the  prospective  buyer 
which  immediately  created  a bond  of  mutual  in- 
terest. The  Chicago  manager  of  the  Six  Little 
Tailors  aptly  remarks,  “If  you  can  learn  what  a 
man’s  business  is  while  trying  to  sell  him  a suit 
of  clothes  and  you  show  an  interest  in  him  by 
saying  something  nice  about  his  business,  you  can 
generally  get  him  to  take  an  interest  in  what  you 
have  to  say  about  your  own  business.” 


Self-Analysis 

Self-analysis,  or  introspection,  is  the  qualifica- 
tion that  enables  the  salesman  to  sit  down  at  night 
and  dissect  himself.  This  may  be  termed  the  suc- 
cess building  habit — the  habit  of  looking  into  one’s 
mind  to  discover  and  eradicate  those  things  that 
tend  to  produce  failure  and  to  discover  and  de- 
velop those  things  that  tend  to  produce  success. 
Self-praise  is  looking  backward;  self-criticism  is 
looking  forward.  The  man  who  is  looking  back- 


13 


ward  never  sees  anything  until  it  has  passed  by. 
Some  men  have  such  a high  regard  for  themselves 
that  they  are  incapable  of  self-analysis  or  self- 
criticism.  Such  men  should  studiously  avoid  sales- 
manship. They  may  have  all  the  other  essential 
qualities,  but  their  failure  to  develop  this  quality 
makes  it  impossible  to  analyze  themselves  and  ad- 
just the  other  qualities  so  they  will  respond  in  the 
right  degree. 


Real  Salesmen  and  Near  Salesmen 

It  is  the  universal  report  of  firms  employing 
salesmen  that  comparatively  few  of  the  men  who 
seek  selling  positions  have  the  right  conception  of 
the  requirements,  and  that  even  those  who  have  a 
fair  conception  have  made  little  or  no  effort  to 
measure  up  to  those  requirements.  The  distinc- 
tion between  a real  salesman — one  who  possesses 
the  essential  qualifications,  and  the  near  salesman — 
one  who  possesses  only  some  of  the  qualifications, 
and  those  only  to  a limited  extent — is  the  difference 
between  the  big  money  makers  and  those  who  bare- 
ly make  enough  to  get  along.  At  the  present  time 
the  near  salesmen  greatly  outnumber  the  real  sales- 
men. The  head  of  a large  Chicago  firm  who  has 
charge  of  the  sales  organization  was  recently  asked 
how  many  salesmen  they  had  on  the  road.  He 
replied,  “We  have  five.”  “Why,  I thought,”  said 
the  interviewer,  “that  you  had  at  least  one  hundred 
men  on  the  road.”  “We  have  over  one  hundred 
men  on  the  road,  but  only  five  salesmen.  The 
others  are  doing  only  enough  to  justify  the  hope 
that  they  will  eventually  graduate  as  salesmen.” 


14 


Factors  in  Making  a Connection 

From  the  salesman’s  standpoint  there  are  six 
factors  that  should  be  considered  in  making  a con- 
nection with  a firm;  the  personnel  and  financial 
standing  of  the  firm:  the  proposition,  the  sales- 
man’s adaptability  to  the  proposition,  the  selling 
methods,  the  territory  and  the  compensation. 

A salesman  should  be  able  to  place  absolute  con- 
fidence in,  not  only  the  integrity,  but  also  the  ability 
of  his  firm.  While  it  is  important  to  know  that 
the  firm  is  financially  responsible,  it  is  even  more 
important  to  be  satisfied  with  the  personnel  of  the 
men  who  constitute  the  firm.  There  are  many 
new  firms  with  comparatively  small  capital,  or- 
ganized, however,  by  capable  men  who  are  enter- 
prising and  who  thoroughly  understand  the  field 
in  which  they  are  engaged.  A salesman  has  a much 
better  opportunity  to  succeed  with  such  a firm 
than  he  has  with  a firm  that  is  not  progressive  or 
that  has  inefficient  men  at  the  head  of  it,  even 
though  that  firm  may  have  a very  high  financial 
rating. 


The  Proposition 

The  next  factor  entering  into  his  engagement 
is  an  examination  of  the  proposition  itself.  Is  it 
built  on  the  merit  plan,  will  it  deliver,  give  satis- 
faction and  make  friends  ? If  the  thing  you  have 
to  sell  possesses  real  merit  and  value,  it  offers  better 
money  making  possibilities  than  something  that 
does  not  possess  this  quality,  and  since  there  are  not 
enough  real  salesmen  even  to  market  what  people 
need,  want  and  can  use  to  advantage,  it  is  to 


i5 


the  interest  of  such  men,  if  for  no  other  than 
financial  reasons,  to  avoid  fake  and  scheme  enter- 
prises. It  is  an  acknowledged  fact  that,  to  be 
successful,  a salesman  must  first  sell  himself — and 
he  must  stay  sold.  Unless  he  starts  out  with  faith 
in  his  proposition,  his  sales  will  be  small,  and,  if  he 
starts  out  with  faith,  the  minute  he  begins  to  lose  it, 
his  sales  will  begin  to  fall  off.  What  previous 
purchasers  of  the  proposition  have  to  say  about  it 
will  help  in  a large  measure  to  answer  this  im- 
portant question  of  merit  and  value. 

Selling  Methods 

The  proposition  may  be  in  its  experimental 
stages  and  then  the  selling  methods  are  in  their 
experimental  stages.  In  that  event,  the  sales- 
man must  depend  upon  his  own  ability  and  ex- 
perience, and  his  confidence  in  the  ability  and 
experience  of  the  firm,  to  develop  satisfactory 
methods.  If  the  proposition  has  passed  beyond 
its  experimental  stages,  the  selling  methods  are,  un- 
doubtedly, well  established  and  the  efficacy  of  those 
selling  methods  can  then  be  determined  by  an 
examination  of  the  records  of  the  members  of  the 
present  sales  organization.  The  salesman  should 
satisfy  himself  not  only  that  the  selling  methods 
are  such  as  he  approves,  but  also  that  he  has  the 
ability  to  successfully  put  them  in  operation. 
Some  of  the  questions  that  should  be  answered  in 
this  connection  are : To  whom  does  the  proposition 
appeal?  What  co-operation  or  help  is  extended 
by  the  firm  ? Does  the  firm  give  exclusive  territory 
rights,  etc.? 

16 


Adaptability 

The  next  question  to  determine  is  the  sales- 
man’s adaptability  to  the  proposition.  Unless  the 
proposition  is  one  for  which  the  salesman  has  a 
natural  liking  and  can  become  interested  in  and 
enthusiastic  over,  it  will  not  be  to  the  advantage 
of  himself  and  the  firm  to  make  a connection.  The 
commodity,  for  instance,  might  be  a mechanical 
device  and,  while  a most  excellent  article  and  a 
money  maker  for  some  salesmen,  the  applicant 
might  not  care  to  handle  it  because  he  does  not 
have  a mechanical  turn  of  mind  or  because  he 
prefers  not  to  call  on  the  class  of  people  to  whom 
it  appeals.  It  might,  for  instance,  be  something 
along  educational  lines  particularly  suited  to  him 
because  he  has  a liking  for  that  sort  of  work  and 
because  he  prefers  to  call  on  the  highly  intelligent, 
thinking  class  of  people  to  whom  it  appeals. 


Territory 

While  the  matter  of  territory  should  be  left,  in  a 
general  way,  to  the  discretion  and  judgment  of  the 
firm,  a salesman  may  have  some  particular  reason 
for  locating  in  a certain  part  of  the  country,  or  for 
wanting  city  territory  or  country  territory.  From 
a business  producing  standpoint,  one  territory  is 
usually  about  as  good  as  another.  Some  men,  who 
have  not  studied  the  matter  closely,  think  virgin 
territory  is  necessary  for  success.  It  is  a pretty 
well  established  fact  that  with  a meritorious  propo- 
sition the  best  territory  for  business  is  that  which 
has  proved  the  most  fruitful  in  the  past. 


i7 


Compensation 

An  important  consideration  from  the  standpoint 
of  the  salesman  is  compensation.  Most  firms  in 
whom  the  salesman  can  place  confidence  are  always 
willing  to  pay  a fair  price  for  actual  results.  They 
realize  that  in  this  way  only  can  they  permanently 
retain  the  services  of  high  grade  men.  In  con- 
sidering the  compensation,  the  salesman  should 
remember  what  Hugh  Chalmers  says,  “A  man’s 
compensation  should  be  made  up  of  two  parts  until 
he  is  fifty  years  of  age.  He  should  say  to  himself 
when  considering  employment — what  can  I earn, 
and  next  put  the  letter  L before  earn  and  ask,  what 
can  I learn?”  Working  on  a commission  basis  is 
the  best  plan,  if  that  can  be  arranged.  It  forces 
the  development  of  the  essential  qualifications. 
The  commission  basis  makes  the  salesman  a partner 
in  the  firm,  the  firm  putting  in  their  capital,  ex- 
perience and  their  proposition  against  the  sales- 
man’s time,  energy  and  experience. 

Preparatory  Work 

Having  made  a satisfactory  connection,  the 
salesman  begins  his  special  preparatory  work 
which  consists  of  acquiring  a thorough  and  com- 
prehensive understanding  of  the  thing  to  be  sold, 
a knowledge  and  facility  in  the  use  of  each  piece 
of  the  selling  equipment,  receiving  such  office 
training  and  field  demonstration  as  the  firm 
supplies,  and  familiarizing  himself  with  the  in- 
structions and  requirements  of  the  firm. 

Failure  is  often  due  to  the  fact  that  the  salesman 
does  not  have  a comprehensive  and  intelligent 


18 


understanding  of  just  what  his  proposition  is,  what 
it  will  do  and  why  the  people  on  whom  he  calls 
should  become  purchasers.  Some  men  with  ex- 
perience are  inclined  to  assume  the  “know  it  all” 
attitude,  unwilling  to  do  the  preparatory  work  and 
to  receive  the  office  and  field  training.  These 
“know  it  all”  men  are  the  ones  who  keep  the 
ranks  of  the  “has  beens”  well  filled.  Most  firms 
have  considerable  literature  designed  to  give  the 
salesman  a clear  and  comprehensive  understanding 
regarding  their  proposition  and  the  special  ad- 
vantageous features.  Frequently  this  information 
is  supplied  in  the  shape  of  a definite  course  of  study. 
The  salesman  should  realize  that  the  firm  has,  per- 
haps, spent  years  in  the  development  of  the  propo- 
sition and  that  this  literature  represents  their 
crystallized  thoughts  on  the  subject.  All  of  this 
literature  should  be  read  carefully  and  thought- 
fully and  re-read  if  necessary  two,  three  or  a dozen 
times  until  it  is  mastered.  It  is  highly  advisable 
to  make  notes  as  the  reading  progresses  and  a re- 
view of  those  notes  will  help  to  fix  in  one’s  mind 
the  salient  features.  Every  point  that  the  sales- 
man does  not  clearly  understand  should  be  taken 
up  with  the  man  who  directs  the  sales  organiza- 
tion. A salesman  who  asks  questions  shows  an 
inquiring  turn  of  mind — he  wants  to  know — he  is 
on  the  road  that  leads  to  success.  The  man  who 
is  not  a student  to  this  extent  can  never  hope  to 
be  a real  salesman. 

Handling  Equipment 

The  equipment  is  the  collection  of  tools  with 
which  the  salesman  does  his  work.  He  must  ac- 


19 


quire  through  intimate  knowledge  an  ease  and 
facility  in  the  use  of  these  tools.  Most  firms  have 
learned  from  experience  the  best  arrangement  of 
their  equipment,  and  the  salesman  should  practise 
laying  out  each  piece  and  replacing  it  until  he  has 
thoroughly  mastered  this  physical  part  of  his  work. 
“A  place  for  everything  and  everything  in  its 
place/’  applies  especially  in  the  matter  of  equip- 
ment. An  order  is  often  won  or  lost  in  a mo- 
ment’s time.  The  search  for  a certain  piece  of  the 
equipment,  even  though  that  search  is  only  of  a 
second’s  duration,  may  yet  be  sufficient  to  break 
the  connection  with  the  prospective  buyer  and  re- 
sult in  the  loss  of  an  order.  The  equipment  should 
be  kept  in  the  pink  of  condition.  Whenever  it 
becomes  soiled,  mutilated  or  in  any  way  below 
standard,  it  should  be  replaced  by  a fresh  supply. 
The  prospective  buyer  unconsciously  receives  his 
impression  of  the  proposition  from  the  samples  he 
is  shown.  He  expects  the  samples  to  be  equal,  if 
not  superior,  to  the  goods  themselves.  Some  sales- 
men, even  with  extensive  experience,  do  not  fully 
realize  what  this  means  in  the  way  of  getting  busi- 
ness. Otherwise  they  would  give  more  attention 
to  keeping  their  equipment  in  a condition  that 
invites  inspection. 

Special  Training 

Live  progressive  firms  usually  insist  upon  special 
office  or  field  training.  Territory  is  capital  and  it 
is  now  recognized  as  wanton  waste  of  such  capital 
to  put  men  out  without  special  training.  This 
training  should  be  as  conscientiously  accepted  by 
the  salesman  as  it  is  conscientiously  given  by  the 


20 


firm  and,  even  though  the  salesman  has  had  previ- 
ous experience  in  the  same  line  of  work,  he  should 
still  be  willing  to  be  a student  and  learn  all  there 
is  to  learn  from  the  theoretical  office  training  and 
practical  field  demonstration.  The  man  who  con- 
ducts this  office  training  is  usually  an  experienced 
and  capable  salesman  who  in  addition,  under- 
stands the  art  of  imparting  knowledge  to  others. 
The  demonstrator  is  usually  the  “star”  salesman, 
capable  of  getting  business  under  the  most  adverse 
circumstances  in  any  section  of  the  country.  He 
is  a man  who  averages  a large  percentage  of  sales 
out  of  his  interviews,  and  this  gives  the  man  who 
is  receiving  the  demonstration  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  the  effect  of  the  various  selling  arguments. 
He  learns  to  value  at  their  true  worth  adeptness 
and  versatility  in  salesmanship. 

The  salesman  should  make  a note  of  the  oral 
instructions  and  should  study  carefully  the  written 
instructions  of  his  firm  and  carry  out  those  in- 
structions to  the  letter.  It  may  be  safely  pre- 
sumed that  the  firm  has  good  and  sufficient  reasons 
for  requiring  the  performance  of  certain  duties  from 
their  salesmen,  even  if  some  of  the  instructions 
seem  unreasonable  or  some  of  the  work  required 
unnecessary.  An  inquiry  will  usually  elicit  from 
the  firm  an  explanation  that  is  entirely  satisfactory 
to  any  reasonable  business  man.  Many  otherwise 
good  salesmen  have  lost  favor  with  their  firms  be- 
cause they  were  careless  in  making  out  their  re- 
ports or  in  the  performance  of  some  of  the  minor 
details.  Many  mediocre  salesmen  have  received 
advancement,  not  because  of  their  ability  to  do 
a large  volume  of  business,  but  because  they  have 


2.1 


conscientiously  and  punctually  attended  to  the 
little  details  requested  by  their  firms.  The  sales- 
man of  to-day  should  be  a good  business  man  as 
well  as  a good  salesman,  and  the  details  of  his  work 
should  be  attended  to  in  an  orderly,  systematic  and 
business-like  way.  The  history  of  many  failures  in 
the  selling  field,  as  in  the  business  field,  can  be  told 
in  three  words,  “lack  of  detail.’ ’ 


Friendship  and  Co-operation 

The  first  concern  of  a salesman  when  opening  a 
territory  is  the  obtaining  of  local  influence,  co- 
operation and  friendship.  Unless  the  firm  has 
already  supplied  him  with  the  information,  the 
salesman  should  take  enough  time  before  actually 
presenting  his  proposition  to  ascertain  who  are  the 
most  important  and  influential  men  in  the  com- 
munity and,  if  those  men  are  prospective  buyers 
or  even  if  their  endorsement  would  be  helpful,  they 
should  be  seen  first  with  the  primary  object  of 
getting  their  co-operation  and  friendship  and,  if 
possible,  their  business.  This  requires  some  orig- 
inal thinking,  planning  and  executing.  It,  there- 
fore, cannot  be  done  very  well  by  a man  who  has 
mental  inertia — too  lazy  to  think.  Men  are  re- 
quired who  are  capable  of  doing  both  head  work 
and  foot  work. 

The  Salesman’s  Attitude 

The  attitude  of  the  salesman  should  be  that  of 
“courtesy  without  condescension,  affability  with- 
out familiarity,  simplicity  without  snide  and  con- 
fidence without  nerve.”  The  first  impression  the 


prospective  buyer  receives  is  from  the  attitude  of 
the  salesman;  it  should  be  a favorable  impression. 
He  should  be  composed  and  indicate  by  his  manner 
that  his  business  is  of  sufficient  importance  to  de- 
mand the  time  and  attention  of  the  prospective 
buyer.  This  puts  his  call  on  a business  basis  and 
not  as  an  intrusion. 

The  manner  of  introduction  depends  almost 
entirely  upon  circumstances  and  must  to  a large 
extent  be  left  to  the  tact  and  ingenuity  of  the  sales- 
man. It  also  depends  to  some  extent  upon  the 
customs  and  habits  of  the  people  in  the  salesman’s 
territory.  For  instance,  in  a large  city  many  pros- 
pective buyers  would  think  a salesman  forward  if 
he  offered  to  shake  hands,  whereas  in  the  rural 
districts  he  might  be  considered  uncivil  if  he  neg- 
lected to  do  so.  A business  card  is  of  little  value 
as  a means  of  introduction.  If  the  salesman  at- 
tempts to  use  his  card  for  that  purpose,  he  loses 
the  vital  opportunity  of  impressing  the  prospective 
buyer  with  his  personality.  The  ‘ ‘ back  slapping,  ’ ’ 
“hail  fellow  well  met,”  “have  a cigar,”  or  “have 
a drink,”  salesman  has  very  little,  if  any,  excuse 
for  further  existence.  The  dignified  and  courteous 
salesman  has  put  him  out  of  business. 

It  is  seldom,  if  ever,  advisable  to  force  an  inter- 
view. If  a man  is  actually  too  busy  to  listen,  it 
is  to  the  salesman’s  advantage  to  excuse  himself 
and  call  again.  He  should,  however,  be  sure  that 
the  prospective  buyer’s  “too  busy”  reason  is  not 
merely  an  excuse.  The  reception  accorded  a sales- 
man seeking  an  interview  is  sometimes  not  very 
1 encouraging.  In  fact,  it  is  frequently  very  dis- 
couraging. There  exists  a feeling  among  some  men 


23 


that  all  salesmen  are  more  or  less  of  a nuisance. 
One  may  be  sure  that  whoever  assumes  that  atti- 
tude is  unfair  and  unjust.  The  salesman  who  has 
a meritorious  proposition  is  worthy  of  the  highest 
measure  of  respect  and  courtesy,  first  because  he 
is  a gentleman,  second  because  he  is  a business 
man,  and  third  because  he  is  performing  a most 
important  and  vital  function  in  this  age  of  highly 
specialized  commercialism. 


Attention  and  Interest 

The  natural  inclination  is  to  say  “no”  when 
one  is  approached  to  buy  anything.  Some  motive 
must,  therefore,  be  aroused  in  the  mind  of  the 
prospective  buyer  that  will  cause  him  to  concen- 
trate his  thoughts  on  what  the  salesman  has  to  say. 
This  attention  can  be  secured  more  quickly 
through  curiosity  than  any  other  means.  The  pre- 
liminary remarks  of  the  successful  salesman 
frequently  have  that  object  in  view.  He  is  careful, 
however,  not  wholly  to  satisfy  that  curiosity  and 
by  this  means  continues  to  hold  the  attention  of 
the  prospective  buyer.  It  is  seldom,  if  ever,  ad- 
visable for  the  salesman  to  show  his  equipment  or 
samples  until  he  has  secured  undivided  and  favor- 
able attention. 

Interest  should  be  created  by  a brief  general 
description  of  the  commodity.  The  description 
should  be  impressive,  but  care  must  be  exercised 
not  to  overstate  a single  fact.  Any  slight  ex- 
aggeration at  this  stage  will  immediately  arouse 
suspicion  and  destroy  confidence  which  is  necessary 
to  the  consummation  of  the  sale.  If  the  salesman 


24 


has  any  startling  statements  to  make,  they  should 
be  reserved  until  he  has  established  his  reputation 
for  truth  and  veracity.  This  is  where  the  salesman 
makes  his  strong  appeal  to  reason.  An  eminent 
authority  says,  “The  trained  salesman  knows  when 
he  has  struck  a reciprocal  chord  in  his  prospective 
buyer,  just  as  an  orator  or  actor  knows  he  has 
pleased  his  audience  even  before  the  applause 
begins.” 

» Arousing  Desire 

No  matter  what  a salesman  has  to  sell  there  are, 
undoubtedly,  some  people  who  want  it  and  are 
waiting  for  a chance  to  buy.  He  will  probably 
run  across  a few,  but  there  are  not  enough  of  that 
class  to  pay  a house  to  keep  a man  on  the  road 
hunting  for  those  who  are  ready  to  give  their  orders. 
Someone  has  said,  “Selling  goods  is  not  like  eating 
— to  satisfy  an  appetite — but  a good  salesman  is 
like  a good  cook;  he  can  create  an  appetite  if  the 
prospective  buyer  is  not  hungry.”  Therefore, 
there  should  be  only  one  question  in  the  mind  of 
the  prospective  buyer  from  the  time  when  his 
interest  is  aroused  until  the  order  is  closed,  and 
that  one  question  from  beginning  to  end  is,  “Can 
I afford  to  spend  the  money  for  the  value  and 
advantages  offered?”  The  affirmative  answer  to 
that  question  causes  the  prospective  buyer  to  part 
with  his  money  and  acquire  the  proposition.  A 
salesman  should  never  indicate  that  he  has  any 
financial  interest  at  stake  in  the  transaction,  nor 
should  that  be  put  forward  as  a reason  for  buying. 

, The  moment  he  does  the  question,  “Can  I afford 
to  spend  the  money  for  the  value  and  advantages 


25 


offered?”  is  supplanted  by  the  question,  ‘‘Can  I 
afford  to  spend  the  money  to  assist  this  man?” 
The  benevolent  class  is  about  as  small  as  the  class 
that  is  looking  for  a chance  to  buy. 


Securing  Conviction 

This  is  the  place  for  “sledge  hammer”  argu- 
ments— reasons  for  buying — the  arguments  must 
be  convincing  and  each  argument  must  be  clinched. 
It  is  better  to  make  one  point  and  make  it  effect- 
ively— drive  it  home — than  it  is  to  make  a dozen 
points  ineffectively.  The  majority  of  sales  are 
made  on  a single  argument.  It  is  not  usually 
necessary  for  a salesman  to  exhaust  his  entire 
stock  of  arguments  to  make  a sale. 

The  prospective  buyer  must  be  convinced  that 
he  wants  the  thing  offered  for  sale  more  than  he 
wants  the  money  it  takes  to  get  it.  On  the  one 
hand,  is  the  commodity  of  which  he  knows  only 
what  the  salesman  has  told  him;  on  the  other  hand, 
is  the  money  it  takes  to  get  that  commodity.  The 
value  of  the  money  is  a known  quantity.  The 
value  of  the  commodity  is  just  what  the  salesman 
has  convinced  the  prospective  buyer  it  is  worth. 
It  must  become  in  the  prospective  buyer’s  mind  of 
more  value  than  the  money,  and  when  that  psycho- 
logical moment  arrives,  it  is  time  for  the  signature. 
The  sale  is  made  and  the  exchange  is  effected. 

The  presentation  should  be  made  in  short,  con- 
cise and  clean-cut  sentences.  Long  and  involved 
sentences  should  be  carefully  avoided,  as  should 
also  the  use  of  unnecessarily  large  words.  When- 
ever it  is  possible  to  do  so,  words  with  soft  conso- 


26 


nants  should  be  used  in  preference  to  words  with 
harsh  consonants.  This  rule  is  followed  by  orators 
and  it  is  equally  important  for  salesmen  to  follow 
it.  Slang  phrases  and  expressions  should  seldom, 
if  ever,  be  used.  It  lessens  the  dignity  of  the  sales- 
man in  the  eyes  of  the  prospective  buyer.  In 
“Lyrics  of  a Golden  Age,”  we  find  this  bit  of  sound 
advice : 

‘ ‘ The  nearer  to  the  practical  men  keep — 

The  less  they  deal  in  vague  and  abstract  things — 
The  less  they  deal  in  huge  mysterious  words, 
The  mightier  is  their  power.” 

There  is  always  one  best  way  of  saying  any- 
thing, and  a salesman  should  learn  that  way,  but 
the  impression  should  never  be  conveyed  that  he 
is  delivering  a ‘ ‘ cut  and  dried  ’ ’ speech.  He  should 
carefully  consider  every  statement  he  intends  mak- 
ing and,  when  it  is  made,  determine  the  effect  it 
has  upon  the  prospective  buyer.  A statement  may 
sound  pleasing  and  convincing  to  the  salesman,  but 
it  may  not  sound  pleasing  and  convincing  to  the 
man  to  whom  it  is  made.  That  is  the  test.  He 
must  get  the  viewpoint  of  the  prospective  buyer. 
This  principle  might  with  profit  be  more  generally 
recognized.  Reiteration  of  a strong  point  is  al- 
ways permissible,  but  a salesman  should  have  suffi- 
cient regard  for  his  prospective  buyer’s  time,  even 
if  not  for  his  own,  never  to  engage  in  random  con- 
versation or  “small  talk.” 

The  Positive  Suggestion 

Positive  suggestions  are  a powerful  influence  in 
effecting  sales.  “Isn’t  this  a distinctly  practical 


27 


course?”  is  a positive  suggestion  which  will  natu- 
rally elicit  an  affirmative  answer.  ‘ ‘ Do  you  think 
this  a distinctly  practical  course?”  is  neutral  and 
may  be  answered  either  in  the  affirmative  or  nega- 
tive. Questions  even  in  that  form  should  be 
avoided.  ‘‘You  don’t  think  this  a practical 
course?”  is  a negative  suggestion  and  will  natu- 
rally elicit  a negative  response.  The  law  of  positive 
suggestion  should  be  used  throughout  the  inter- 
view to  get  the  prospective  buyer  to  agree  with 
the  salesman’s  arguments  and  conclusions. 

Anticipating  Objections 

The  best  way  to  overcome  an  objection  is  to 
anticipate  it.  For  instance,  a salesman  may  find 
a number  of  people  raising  the  objection,  “Haven’t 
the  time.”  He  can  anticipate  that  objection  and 
say  early  in  the  presentation,  “This  proposition  is 
especially  designed  for  the  busy  man — like  your- 
self— who  can  spare  only  a few  moments  occasion- 
ally from  his  many  duties.”  However,  even  the 
best  salesmen  oftentimes  are  confronted  with  ob- 
jections. When  an  objection  is  made,  the  sales- 
man should  meet  it  frankly  and  dispose  of  it  then 
and  there.  By  that  method  only  can  he  hope  to 
retain  the  confidence  of  the  prospective  buyer. 
Brevity  is  something  that  can  and  should  be  culti- 
vated in  answering  objections.  In  this  connection 
I quote  Josh  Billings  as  follows : “I  don’t  care  how 
much  a man  talks  on  a subject,  if  he  only  says  it 
in  a few  words.”  A salesman  who  spends  much 
time  answering  objections  has  little  time  left  to 
make  a presentation  of  his  real  selling  arguments. 


28 


Price  and  Terms 

The  price,  while  an  important  factor,  is  some- 
thing that  should  not  be  discussed  until  the  sales- 
man is  ready  to  close  the  order.  It  is  a mistake  to 
give  a short  general  talk  on  his  proposition  and 
then  spend  the  rest  of  the  time  trying  to  convince 
the  prospective  buyer  that  he  can  afford  something 
he  does  not  want.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  pros- 
pective buyer  wants  the  commodity  and  the  price 
is  reasonable,  it  will  not  require  much  persuasion 
to  convince  him  of  that  fact. 

The  terms  of  payment  are  a matter  that  should 
be  determined  after  the  prospective  buyer  wants 
the  commodity  and  is  convinced  that  the  price  is 
reasonable.  Many  specialties  are  now  sold  on  the 
installment  plan  and  some  salesmen  make  the  mis- 
take of  trying  to  convince  the  prospective  buyer 
that  he  should  sign  an  order  because  the  price  is 
cheap  and  the  terms  of  payment  are  liberal.  Such 
business,  even  if  secured,  is  undesirable,  because 
the  buyer  has  not  been  convinced  he  needs  the 
commodity,  wants  it  and  can  use  it.  He  is  likely 
to  cancel  before  the  salesman  can  get  the  order  to 
the  firm,  and  even  though  the  order  is  filled,  it 
never  becomes  a satisfactory  account. 

Quality  of  Business 

The  quality  of  business  is  of  as  great  importance 
as  quantity.  Salesmen  should  learn  to  discrimi- 
nate between  good  and  bad  orders  and,  if  there  is 
any  doubt,  the  order  should  be  carefully  investi- 
gated before  being  forwarded  to  the  firm.  Some 
salesmen  build  up  such  a reputation  in  this  respect 


29 


that  their  business  is  O.  K.’d  without  investigation. 
The  business  of  other  salesmen  is  questioned, 
whether  it  is  good  or  bad,  because  the  firm  has 
learned  from  experience  that  the  reports  accom- 
panying the  business  are  not  such  as  can  be  safely 
relied  upon.  A good  rule  to  follow  in  this  con- 
nection is  to  assume  that  the  firm  does  not  want 
an  order  which  the  salesman  himself  would  not 
care  to  accept  if  the  order  were  his  and  his  money 
were  at  stake. 


Competition 

Every  meritorious  proposition  is  bound  to  have 
some  competition.  But  a salesman  is  hurt  more 
by  the  fear  of  competition  than  by  competition 
itself.  Business  in  almost  any  line  creates  a 
market  for  more  business  in  that  line.  The  de- 
velopment of  the  automobile  business  during  the 
last  ten  years  is  a good  illustration  to  prove  this 
statement.  It  is  advisable  not  to  do  much  talking 
about  competitors.  The  prospective  buyer  will 
be  influenced  by  what  the  salesman  has  to  say 
about  his  commodity,  not  by  what  he  has  to  say 
about  his  competitors.  If  the  prospective  buyer 
himself  brings  up  the  matter,  then  and  then  only, 
should  the  salesman  indulge  in  comparison. 

Return  Calls 

Requests  to  leave  literature  or  to  call  back,  thus 
giving  the  prospective  buyer  time  to  think  it  over, 
come  from  two  classes,  the  ultra-conservative 
class  who  really  mean  what  they  say  and  the  in- 
sincere class  who  have  no  intention  of  thinking  it 
over  but  who  use  this  polite  method  of  turning 


30 


down  the  proposition.  A salesman  should  be  able 
to  discriminate  between  these  two  classes  and  not 
waste  his  time  making  return  calls  on  the  insincere 
class.  A new  salesman  often  gets  a mistaken  im- 
pression that  he  is  working  up  business  for  his 
firm  by  getting  a long  list  of  prospects.  There  is 
a decided  difference  between  a signed  order  and 
an  indefinite  promise.  Keen  discernment  and 
good  judgment  must  be  used  in  agreeing  to  call 
back ; otherwise  the  salesman  will  soon  find  himself 
chasing  rainbows. 

Forget  the  Failures 

“Nothing  succeeds  like  success.”  Everyone 
likes  to  buy  what  he  sees  others  are  buying.  No 
one  is  interested  in  what  everybody  else  is  refus- 
ing It  is,  therefore,  important  that  a salesman 
have  an  air  of  prosperity.  With  him  business 
should  always  be  good.  He  should  tell  only  of  his 
successes  and  forget  his  failures.  No  one  likes  to 
be  depressed  by  tales  of  woe.  The  prospective 
buyer  upon  hearing  a tale  of  woe  may  from  the 
goodness  of  his  heart  give  the  salesman  encourage- 
ment, advice  and  sympathy,  but  he  will  withhold 
his  order,  and  orders  are  what  the  salesman  wants. 

Trained  Men  Wanted 

The  salesman  is  a permanent  part  of  the  business 
world  and  his  position  is  becoming  daily  more 
important.  As  changing  conditions  are  bringing 
a higher  order  of  intelligence  and  discernment  in 
the  buying  world,  so  it  is  necessary  for  the  salesman 
to  become  better  grounded  in  the  principles  of  his 
calling,  and  to  bring  to  that  calling  a higher  stand- 


3i 


ard  of  intelligence.  The  big  demand  at  the  present 
time  is  for  five  to  ten  thousand  dollar  a year  sales- 
men. The  more  a salesman  can  make,  the  greater 
is  the  demand  for  his  services.  I predict  that  the 
time  is  soon  coming  when  salesmanship  will  rank 
as  a profession  with  law,  medicine,  engineering  and 
accounting,  and  I believe  the  big  incomes  will  be 
made,  as  in  other  professions,  by  the  trained  men.  i 


32 


